Love is Blind
by TheMightyKoosh
Summary: Naruto is injured when on a mission.... pease read inside for slightly better discription Rated M for future SasuNaru
1. Ramen, served with a side dish of dissap

**Love is Blind **

Note - DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

I don't wanna say too much and give the plot away, but Naruto gets hurt on a mission, but is fine due to a misterious donation.

If you like the fanfic and you like youtube - please search for Forgivvenxx, we made a video along these lines (I'm the naruto XD)

Please review, this is my first fanfic attempt.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Ramen, served with a side dish of disappointment.**

Naruto rolled over with a sigh. He was laying on his back on his bed, staring at the clock on the wall, watching the second had tick by, willing the minute hand to move. It was twenty minutes till he had to be at Ichiraku's Ramen shop. He smiled to himself as he thought of Sasuke. It had taken him months to convince him to go out with him, and then after spending one whirlwind afternoon together, Sasuke asked if he'd like to go again sometime. That was two weeks ago, and this was third date.

Naruto considered them dates, he had loved Sasuke since the first time he had laid eyes on him, but he didn't know if Sasuke felt the same. Sure, over time they had become friends, but Naruto had always wanted more. Even now he didn't know where he stood with Sasuke, if he generally liked him, or if he was just humouring him.

He rolled of the bed. Jumping up as his head hit the wooden floor of his bedroom. He looked in the mirror hanging on the wall. He straightened the tie, hoping Sasuke would like this new look; it was so different to the bright orange jumpsuit that he usually wore. He hoped that the cool and suave Sasuke would finally be impressed, and stop thinking of him as childish and immature.

With a sigh, Naruto took one last look in the mirror, before going to the kitchen, where he took a swig of milk from the carton. Wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his new, white shirt, he locked the door behind him, leaving the building where his flat was.

Naruto ran all the way to Ichiraku's, better to be early and have to wait, then to be late, and risk angering Sasuke. He reached the street corner and slowed down, so as not to collide with anyone on the bustling street. Walking into the ramen bar, Naruto seated himself at his usual stool.

Every time some one entered the busy bar he would jump up hoping it was Sasuke. He new he was ten minutes early, but he still felt a pang of disappointment every time he realised it wasn't him.

With a heavy sigh he looked at his watch. Five thirty, this was the time they had decided to meet. He ran his hand through his spiky blonde hair; he wanted to look his best when Sasuke arrived, if Sasuke arrived. He ordered two drinks, he knew Sasuke had been on a mission today, and he didn't want a dehydrated Sasuke.

He heard the door to Ichiraku's swing open, the soft tread of one trained in the art of stealth. He smiled to himself, thinking perhaps Sasuke was trying to sneak up on him. He turned around, hoping to catch him in the act, only to find that it was Chouji, the bitter disappointment was like a shock to his system. He almost felt angry with Chouji, for not being whom he had expected. The anger faded away almost as quickly as it had appeared. He was shocked and ashamed that he had reacted in such away, did he really feel so strongly for him that he would act in such a way.

As he waited for his date, he absently drank his drink, while daydreaming about Sasuke, and all the fun times he hoped they would spend together. His mind drifted to thoughts of Sasuke. He loved the sound of his name, the way it rolled of the tongue, Uchiha Sasuke, he mumbled, savouring every syllable. He loved everything about him, his bravery, his confidence, his spiky black hair, and his midnight eyes. He even loved him when he was angry, and yelling at him, even when he looked at him with that scornful look of his, so often directed at Naruto. He would do anything to be looked at by Sasuke, even if it was for all the wrong reasons, any attention from Sasuke was better than none.

The sound of a chopstick being dropped brought Naruto out of his reverie. With a jolt he looked at his watch, and realised that it was six thirty. He was an hour late. His anger flared up again, at the people in the restaurant, laughing and joking with their friends, at Sasuke, for making a fool of him. How could he ever have imagined that someone as handsome and loved as Sasuke would ever want to go out with a monster like him?

He threw the money for the two drinks on the table, before making his way out of the store. He started to run to the flat where he lived, he reached the door when he suddenly realised that it was pouring down with rain. The damp weather mirrored his damp mood.

He ran up the rickety wooden stairs, opened his flat door, before entering and slamming it behind him. With a cry he fell to his knees, curling into a protective ball. He buried his head in his arms, and silent sobs racked his body. He brushed a hand across his whiskered cheek. He gazed at the tear drop, balance neatly on the tip of his finger. It was so perfect, so complete. He blew, and the salty water was quickly scattered. That was just how he felt, like the gentlest of breezes could shatter his fragile soul.

He stayed like that for hours, his body shaking, raked with silent sobs. Eventually he fell asleep, curled in a ball, protecting himself from the pain of the world.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

Sasuke flew through the trees, pushing of the branches with the graze of one born to do so. The mission had taken longer than he had expected. He hoped that Naruto would still be at Ichiraku's, and that he wouldn't be mad at him for being late. He jumped from the last branch, and ran to the gates of Konoha.

He briefly stopped to ask one of the guards the time. Half past six. Shit, he thought, an hour late. He ran through the village with all the speed of a cheetah with the wind caught in its tail. He speed to a halt as he reached the Ramen place.

He burst inside, but Naruto was nowhere in sight. He growled with frustration, before slowly leaving the restaurant. He reached the street corned when it began to rain. He screamed and punched the wall, bruising his knuckles. He slowly walked home, the darkening rain clouds reflecting his darkening mood. He would explain to Naruto in the morning why he had been late, he was sure he would forgive him, after all, he was late because of ANBU, working for the village Naruto so wanted to protect.

He reached his house, and sighed as he flopped onto the bed. He fell asleep thinking about Naruto. He had always loved him, but it had taken him a while to pluck up the courage to finally say _yes_ to one of Naruto's requests for ramen. He loved everything about Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto, he even loved the way it sounded. He loved the spiky blonde hair on top of his air filled head, those beautiful blue eyes, so filled with the pain of the world.

He was such a lovable idiot. Konoha's number one hyperactive ninja, he smiled as he thought of him. He was always so energetic and happy, even through the taunts and the horror of his earlier live. With this last thought of Naruto, Sasuke finally fell into a dreamless sleep.

END OF CHAPTER 1


	2. If Love is Blind, Then So am I

**Authors Notes**

Disclaimer - I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

Naruto is injured on a mission. SasuNaru

Please search Forgivenxx on Youtube, we made the fan-video of this fic.

Thank you to all my kind reviewers

enjoy

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2**** – If Love is Blind, Then So am I**

The sun came streaming through the window of the kitchen. Naruto was stilled curled up on the wooden floor by the entrance door to the flat. Naruto whimpered in his sleep. He was dreaming. In his dream he was reliving every taunt, every abusive comment that had ever been sent his way.

He flinched in his sleep as he remembered one particularly horrendous event. Some of the younger children of Konoha were spitting at him, throwing rocks at him. There was a horde of them, circling him, like a wolf with its prey; the biggest of them went to kick him. As he felt the foot collide with his ribs, he woke up with a gasp.

He blinked, wondering why he was on the cold, wooden floor. After a moment the events of the previous night all came rushing back to him a tidal wave of memory. He lifted a finger to his cheek, feeling that it was sticky from the tears.

He went to his bathroom, staring at his face in the small mirror. His whiskered cheek had streaky marks from the tears, it made him look grubby. He filled the basin of the sink with freezing cold water, and splashed it over his face. The shock of the water woke him up, washing the dirty streaks of his skin.

He grabbed a towel, drying his dripping face as he stumbled into his small bedroom. He threw the towel onto his un-slept in bed. Frowning, he pulled a clean, orange jumpsuit out of his wardrobe. He discarded the worn clothing, leaving it lying on the floor.

He turned with a sigh, another day, another mission, he thought. Usually he revelled in the thought of protecting the village he so loved, but today it just filled him with fear and regret.

He turned back to turn off the bedroom light, when he realised where he had left his jumpsuit. It looked so discarded, like something that had fulfilled its use, only to be thrown away, just like a piece of rubbish. _That's exactly how I feel _thought Naruto, closing the bedroom door.

Slowly Naruto made his way to the gates of Konoha; for once he wasn't eager to get started on the latest of their missions.

* * *

Sasuke awoke with a jolt. He glanced at the cloak hanging on his whitewashed walls. Twenty minutes past nine. _Shit._ Ten minutes till he was supposed to be meeting at the gates. _Damn it, I bet I'll even be later than Kakashi-Sensei, now I'll never get time to explain to Naruto._ He gobbled down a quick breakfast, before jumping out his bedroom window. As quickly as he could he ran through the village, retracing his steps from the previous night.

He reached the gates in less then ten minutes; he waved to the two ninjas on guard, running over the threshold of the village. He walked a little to the left of the gates, where he new that his team would be waiting.

Kakashi was already there, reading one of those books he loved so much; that meant he was late. To the left of Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura seemed to be deep in conversation; he wearily approached them, avoiding looking either of them in the eyes, hoping to get the chance to talk to Naruto before they began their mission. He saw Naruto's brilliant blue eyes flicker to his direction.

"Naruto, you should be eating a balanced diet in the morning" She said, going onto autopilot med-nin.

Naruto never missed breakfast; that meant he was annoyed about the previous night. He was about to grab Naruto's attention, when he was cut short by Kakashi-Sensei.

"Alright team, today's mission. A rogue gang based in a town not far from here. I'm sure you know the drill by now, bring 'em down guys." He paused a minute for thought. "Naruto, I want you up front with me, Sasuke, Sakura, you guys as back up."

With that they were of, jumping through trees, leaping from branch to branch, like those born to do so, like Sasuke had just the night before.

* * *

Naruto glanced up as Sasuke arrived, Sakura was droning on, he was only half listening, but he didn't mind. He clenched is fists as Sasuke approached, _I bet he's laughing at me _he thought, he glanced in his direction, making a point of going back to this conversation with Sakura, whereas he would usually of jumped at the chance to talk to his crush.

Before anyone could say anything, Kakashi-Sensei broke in, snapping his book shut.

"Alright team, today's mission. A rogue gang based in a town not far from here. I'm sure you know the drill by now, bring 'em down guys. Naruto, I want you up front with me, Sasuke, Sakura, you guys as backup"

And with that they were off, beginning yet another mission.

* * *

They had been travelling through the forest for about forty five minutes. Naruto was glad he wasn't paired up with Sasuke, for it meant he could get away with not talking to him.

He wondered what these gang members were like, they weren't trained ninjas, like Team 7 were, but there were more of them, and were obviously quite strong if they had been able to wreak havoc for so long, no-one bringing an end to their wrong-doings.

Caught up in his thoughts, Naruto didn't notice that Kakashi had stopped, balanced perfectly on the thin branch. He stopped quickly so as not to collide with his Sensei, almost losing his balance.

"Right guys, we're about ten minutes away from this town, I need someone to go on a bit ahead of us, get the grips on this town, the layout, the situation there. Any volunteers?" He asked, smiling brightly at his three students.

"I'm up for it!" Naruto exclaimed, dropping his bag onto the wide branch. Great, this meant he wouldn't have to make small talk with Sasuke.

"Okay, first things first, if there's any problems, come back here, don't try and handle it by yourself. And for god's sake Naruto, look inconspicuous, whatever you do, don't anger any gang men. Find out where their hide out is, who their leader is, and other information you deem necessary. Be back here in an hour. Got that?" Kakashi concluded, staring intently and the young ninja, clad in his usual orange jumpsuit

"Yeah, I got it Kakashi-Sensei" and with that Naruto was gone, running along the ground, on his was to the gang-ridden town.

* * *

The ground was soft and squelchy from last night's rain. There was something refreshing about running along the ground. He decided to take Kakashi's advice, avoiding the more ninja-ish methods.

He ran to the edge of the trees, there was a dirt track, well beaten from centuries of tired feet making their way home from working in the fields. The road had about forty workers on it, eager to get home to their families, with a warm lunch on the table.

Leaving the shelter of the trees, he silently slipped in behind the men, trailing them to the town. The town gate had a guard standing on either side. As the workers filled past, they seemed to be flashing some sort of workers permit.

_Shit, _he thought, he hadn't expected this. He casually walked through the large gates, trying to look inconspicuous. He was nearly past, when one of the guards grabbed him. He was a tall man, with long black hair, caressing his broad shoulders.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, handling the blonde boy aggressively, "I 'aven't seen you around here before."

Naruto started thinking fast, trying to come up with a reasonable, believable excuse. "I..I'm visiting my Uncle, helping him with some work" he stuttered, hoping the guard would believe him.

"'Right then." The guard grumbled, shoving him in the direction the small crowd seemed to be heading.

He sighed with relief, _that was a close call. _he thought. He began his search around the small town, looking for anything suspicious, blacked out houses, 'wanted' signs. Nothing appeared to seem out of the norm, everything in its proper place.

The boy stayed to the shadows, darting from doorway to doorway. He glanced around him, noticing that the town was almost deserted, most of the men having returned to their work in the fields.

Glancing at his watch, he realised that an hour had passed. He better get back to their small camp, he thought, or the others would worry.

He turned around, only to bump into four, very large, muscled, men. The man from the gate stepped forwards, roughly grabbing him on his forearm, his fingers tightly gripping Naruto's arm, till he had to cry out.

The men all laughed evilly, as he was pushed to the ground. They stood over him, leering.

"So, you thought you and your cronies would try your hand at taking down the big guys, eh" he asked, showing blackened and rotting teeth. He rested his heavily booted foot on Naruto's chest, just over his quickly beating heart.

He blanched, so they knew, then

"No, that's not why we are here, it's just as I said, we're going to help my Uncle with some sort of work." He stuttered, repeating the story that he had told earlier.

The tall man snickered.

"So, you were with other people," he smiled creepily. "We were just winging it, taking a guess, thanks for telling us, kid," with that he turned to the others. "Go find them, they're probably in the forest somewhere, they won't be far, get the others and split up"

As the gang men ran of, their leader stalked towards Naruto, cowering on the floor. He shuffled away, trying to escape the large man. He glanced around him, trying to get a bearing on his surroundings. To his right was a shop; to his left was a tall wall. _Good,_ he thought as he realised that it was the outer wall of the town, and that only a few meters away were the large gates where he was first found.

"Think you can escape us, eh?" he sneered, cracking his knuckles. Suddenly, there was a long sword pressed against Naruto's neck, crushing his windpipe, he hadn't even noticed it, hidden as it was behind the mans back.

He felt a trickle of blood, seeping out of a small, paper thick, cut where sword was being held.

The sword moved, and he gasped for air, as his attacker turned around, heading in the opposite direction of the gate.

As Naruto stood up, ready to slink away, he felt the slash of cold metal, as it penetrated his skin, slicing into his stomach, as blood began seeping out of the new wound. He gasped, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth.

The man chuckled. It was an evil, sly chuckle. The chuckle of a deranged mad man.

"Not that easily, my little Chickadee," he growled. He grabbed the now weakened Naruto by the colour of his jacket, for he was surprisingly strong. By now the blood was flowing freely, he was in too much pain to fight back.

He flung him away, as easily as he was a piece of rubbish. Naruto felt his face smash through the glass of a near by shop window. The glass shattered all around him, he felt it pierce and scratch his skin.

A large shard imbedded itself his in whiskered cheek. A large, particularly sharp, pointed piece of glass slashed across the upper half of his face. Agonising pain wracked his face, as the sharp edge slashed across his optic nerve, severing the connection from eye to brain.

"Sweet dreams" the man chortled, before leaving the seen of destruction.

Standing up, Naruto crawled out of the shop, blood was pouring freely from the wound in his side, and his face was unrecognisable, mutilated, from all the scratches, and the massive amounts of scarlet blood.

Carefully he found the wall; it felt cold under his sweaty palm. He couldn't feel any of pain attacking his body, his mind was full with thoughts of reaching Sasuke before the gang men did.

He stumbled, grabbing at the wall to regain his balance. He let it guide him towards the gate, towards the rest of his team.

The same thoughts kept circling around and round his head. He had to warn them. He had to save Sasuke. He couldn't let the one person he had ever truly love die because of his own empty headed stupidity.

He felt the wall disappear. And realised he must of reached the gate. He knew that there was a road here, and that if he followed it, he was sure to reach his friends.

* * *

Sasuke glanced at his watch; Naruto had been gone an hour and ten minutes. He began to worry, what if something had gone wrong?

"Kakashi-Sensei, I think we should go and look for Naruto," he said, turning to look at his teacher, absorbed in that book he always had his nose buried in.

He grunted in agreement, pocketing his book. The three ninjas shouldered their bags, jumping of the branches to join the road Naruto had taken.

* * *

They weren't far down the road when they sensed his presence. They could feel his weakening chakra, smell the metallic blood.

Sasuke leaped forwards, trying to reach Naruto first. The young ninja collapsed in his arms, passing out from lack of blood.

His lips were moving, but no sound was coming out, over and over again they shaped the same words, _I'm sorry, Sasuke, I'm sorry. I'm sorry Sasuke, I'm sorry_.

"It's ok, Naruto, it's ok" he murmured softly, stroking his soft, yellow hair. He looked up at Sakura, his eyes pleading, asking for her help.

Her hand was already surrounded by green, as she crouched down, her healing hand hovering over Naruto's face. The kyuubi's power had already healed most of the scratches; it mainly dried blood by now.

Sasuke watched as Sakura began her healing work. A tear came to his midnight eyes, his body looked so cracked and broken, like an uncooked egg, the fragile outer shell broken, to reveal the precious content, spilling out.

"We'd better get to the village, take him to Tsunade, that's one heck of gash" Kakashi murmured, picking up Naruto's orange bag, "I'm sure if we move really quickly we can there in no time"

Kakashi went to pick up the unconscious Naruto, but Sasuke beat him to it, holding the broken body tenderly in his arms.

* * *

Thank you for Reading!!

And, yes, I know, How repetative, but hey XD

To be continued...


	3. Dreams

Heya, I'm sorry I took so long to update bows appologetically but, you see, I'm incredibly lazy.

Anyways, heres chapter 3.

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto, Do I want to? YES, but, alas, I don't.

enjoy

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 3 - Dreams**

Naruto could hear hushed voices outside of the room he was in. He let his eyelids flicker open, but was surprised when he was met with a deep, ominous darkness.

Slowly he raised his hand up to face, it moved sluggishly, like he was in a pool of treacle. His fingers brushed against a wad off some kind of soft dressing, held in place with bandages.

He gasped as he remembered the events that had led him to be there. He sat up suddenly, and flinched as pain coursed through his body, causing him to cry out. He felt the thick bandages, covering the almost fatal wound.

A nurse came in, alerted by his cry.

"Careful, Naruto, don't move about too much, or you'll pull out your stitches" she said, a note of concern in her voice. She said no more, but left what by now Naruto had realised to be a hospital room to continue on her rounds.

_I have to know if Sasuke is ok, I have to know that he is alive, I must be sure._ He thought to himself.

He slowly stood up. His head felt groggy, he stretched his hand out, his fingers brushing against the cold walls.

Slowly, carefully, he bent down, reaching out to find something he could use to guide him on his way to Sasuke.He shuffled around the room, eventually he found a metal pole propped against the window, used to open it.

It was cold against his sweaty palm, but it would do. He tapped it on the ground in front of him, feeling for obstacles that would trip him over. The pole knocked against the bed, and slowly he navigated his way around it, wincing as a sharp pain exploded yet again.

_Shit, this is gonna be hard _he thought, but he resolved to find Sasuke, he had to know that he was alive.

The metal pole guided him out the room; he tapped it against the floor and walls, his hearing was sharper than usually, and he heard a door open, he stopped, not wanting to collide with whoever was leaving the hospital room.

He didn't meet anybody in that corridor, or if he did, they just avoided him.

The corridor was painfully silent and had the recognisable smell of disinfectant. It seemed longer than the blonde remembered.

He could hear voices, it was the reception desk. _Well, I guess that'll be a good place to start looking, they'll at least know if he's here or not, _he thought.

As he approached the desk, he heard a familiar, harsh voice.

"What do you mean I can't see him" it sounded outraged.

"Well, Uchiha-San, he's not ready for visitors, he received some nasty injuries." The quiet voice of the nurse on reception came.

He gasped as realisation dawned on him. It was Sasuke, he was ok. He wondered who he was here to visit, it couldn't be him, he hoped Kakashi wasn't hurt.

He dropped the metal stick and stumbled forwards. He tripped, and caught his stomach on the door handle, to a room that he knew would be identical to the one he had woken up in.

He could feel, the warm, wetness of blood, and mentally slapped himself for his stupidity.

But none of that mattered anymore, his beautiful Sasuke was ok, he was alive and kicking!

He stumbled towards the voice; he was slightly delusional from lack of blood, and opened his arms wide, as if about to receive a loving embrace.

His balance wavered, and he cried out, not knowing where to go for support.

His brain was foggy, and he seemed to be moving slowly. He heard a cry, but it sounded far of and distant. With a shock he realised that it was his own voice that made the feeble noise. He knees gave way, and he fell.

Footsteps where coming his way.

"Naruto" a worried voice cried out, and warm arms caught him before he could hit the cold, hard floor. He felt safe.

And that was all the blonde could remember, before a wave of blackness hit him, and he fell unconscious.

* * *

"What do you mean I can't see him" the raven haired boy cried out, outraged that he couldn't see the love of his life. He only wanted to know that he was ok.

"Well, Uchiha-San, he's not ready for visitors, he received some nasty injuries" _shit _he thought, is he really that badly injured.

He began to argue with the annoying receptionist, but was cut short when he heard a feeble cry.

He spun around, only to Naruto, clutching at his stomach, and blood seeping thorough his clenched fingers.

He sprang forwards, and caught the slender, blonde boy before he could hit the ground. He pulled him into a warm embrace as he felt his body go limp.

_Argh, what did that dobe think he was doing, he's obviously in no fit state to be moving around._

Suddenly reality hit him, he jumped up, cradling Naruto against his body, trying to stem the blood flow.

"This way, Uchiha-San, quickly" an agitated voice called. He looked up, and saw the nurse from the reception beckoning him into a small. Whit washed room, that smelled strongly of disinfectant.

He place his ward on the bed, before being ushered out by a doctor.

He sighed as the door was slammed in his face, _at least He's in good hands,_ thought the raven headed youth.

* * *

The small bundle curled up under crisp, white sheets, groaned quietly in its sleep. The blankets entirely covered him, just tufts of yellow hair pocked out the top.

The head sleepily rested on the side of the bed jerked up, suddenly wide awake. Sasuke rubbed sleep out of the corner of his eyes.

He sighed. Naruto looked so peaceful in his sleep. The small bundle moved again, stretching out, before slowly waking up.

"Where….where am I" the blonde boy mumbled, his head turning from side to side, panic sounding in his croaky voice.

Sasuke felt a jolt as he remembered that his love could no longer see, having lost his vision on their previous mission.

"In hospital, dobe" the boy stiffened as he heard Sasuke harsh tone. The Uchiha mentally kicked himself for sounding so characteristically cold, why couldn't he show his feelings to him.

"Remember?" he asked, pouring all of the warmth he could muster into that one word.

A slight nod of the tousled head told him that he did. He was bent over, his hands rested on the bed, his chin resting on his chest, he looked lost and forlorn.

Naruto's slender back silently began to shake. Sasuke jolted with surprise. Splashes of salty water where dropping onto the bed linen, as silent tears leaked out of the corner of his broken eyes.

"Naruto, what's wr…" he began, but was cut of by a small voice.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, I'm so, so sorry" Naruto's body continued to shake, as silent sobs wracked his body.

"N...Naruto?" he whispered, shocked to see the normally hyperactive blonde reduced to tears.

"Why?" he asked, stretching out his hand to rest it on the quivering shoulder, but Naruto jerked away.

"Because…because I fucked up the mission, because I was so god damn stupid, and because I could've gotten you killed." The last words tumbled out, merging in with his cries.

"I doesn't matter, Naruto" he said softly, "There'll be other missions."

"No there won't!" he said, angry now, "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm fucking blind, they took my fucking eyes! Do you really think Tsunade-Sama will send a blind shinobi on a mission, I'm useless. My dreams gone with my eyes"

He crumpled into a ball and let all the pain wash out, the sheets crumpled in his tight fist.

The true horror of Naruto's predicament sunk in. _How can I have been so stupid? _Sasuke thought, did I really think there'd be other mission, even Kyuubi can't fix broken optic nerves. _How could I have forgotten that, love really is blind, _he thought, his deep onyx eyes filling with tears.

He sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled the Naruto's small frame into his eyes, soothing the shaky sobs.

The blonde gasped as he felt the warm embrace he had dreamed of for so long, he felt so safe.

He felt a hand gently stroking his hair, and soon fell asleep, cradled in Sasuke's arms.

The raven headed boy sat there for a little while longer, before placing his precious bundle gently on the bed, and sitting back on the uncomfortable chair, to settle down to sleep.

* * *

Slowly Naruto awoke, light was streaming through the curtains. Slowly he lifted his hand up to the fresh bandages wrapped around his eyes, about to unwind them, but he changed his mind, and moved his hand down. He didn't want to except the truth he knew he would reach.

Darkness.

A deep, frightening, darkness.

He heard footsteps.

"I brought you some ramen, Naruto." came Sasuke's voice. "Naruto, are you ok"

No reply came, the blonde sat silently, staring at where he knew Sasuke was standing. He placed the ramen on the bed, moving Naruto's hand, and closing his fingers around it.

"Naruto" again there was no reply, just the silence, a deep silence, which was beginning to scare even Sasuke, the seemingly emotionless Uchiha.

"Are you going to..." he began, but was cut of by a weak voice.

"I might as well just give up, there's nothing left for me to live for anymore" came a muffled reply.

"But, there are things other than being a ninja, Naruto" he was confused, he'd never known him to be so depressed.

"You don't get it, do you, Sasuke, you never will. You've always been loved, I've always been hated, everyone vied for your attention, whereas I was ignored and shunned. You were a genius, I was the class clown." His fists clenched as he remembered the years of pain and misery.

"While you had years of love, I had years of feeling worthless. That was until Team 7. That day when Iruka-Sensei took me out for ramen. I felt for once that I belonged." He look up at Sasuke, silently pleading with him to understand.

"I have to become Hokage. That's the only way for the rest of the village to recognise me, and to see my worth" this last line was filled with emotion, it oozed with it, it dripped from every possible pore.

With that he went back to scrunching up his sheets.

"But what does it matter anymore" he said bitterly, "it's all over now; my dreams have the same way my eyes did."

He unclenched his fist, letting the steaming ramen fall to the fall, where the noodle dish spilled everywhere.

By now the blonde boy was curled in the foetal position. An hand like porcelain reached out and rested on his shoulder. He rolled away.

"Just leave me be, Sasuke"

A sigh, heavy footsteps, the sound of the door being closed gently, and Naruto knew that he was alone.

And with the realisation of the true horror of his predicament, again Naruto began to cry. He knew that things could have gone a lot worse, and that he was lucky to escape with life, but nevertheless, he couldn't help wallowing in his own misery.

* * *

He reached out his ivory hand, but Naruto just pulled away.

"Just leave me be, Sasuke"

He sighed, and slowly left the hospital room, he'd come back later, when he was sure that Naruto was ready.

He made his way out of Konoha's hospital, he was hungry, and didn't have any food at home.

As he grew engulfed in his own thoughts, he didn't notice where his feet were taking him, but looking up, he noticed that he was outside of Ichiraku's.

He smirked, in honour of Naruto, he would his favourite food, ramen, even though he didn't like it that much.

With a sigh he sat at the stool he knew Naruto always used, and ordered a bowl of miso pork.

He jerked out his reverie at the sound of the food being placed on the table in front of him. He had to admit, it did smell delicious.

"Is Naruto ok?" the old man behind the counter asked, "I haven't seen him since you guys came back from your mission, usually he would have been in by now."

He hesitated.

"Um..yeah…he's fine" he murmured, a single tear making its way out the corner of his eyes.

The old man seemed to notice his hesitation.

"Didn't get hurt, did he? We can't have that. He's gotta stay fit and healthy for when he becomes Hokage" he chuckled and walked of to serve his other costumers.

_Shit,_ thought the Uchiha prodigy, _I can't let this happen to my Naruto. _

He pushed the bowl away, and ran to the hospital; he had to talk to Tsunade. Now!

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked the Hokage. She was sat casually in her chair, seemingly as impassive as always. But she was shocked that he would something this big for her Naruto, but she wasn't going stop it, heck, she jumped at his offer.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life" came the reply, as the sole survivor of The Uchiha Clan slammed his hands on her desk, making her jump.

"Alright" she nodded "I'll make the necessary arrangements, go home, I'll send someone over when your needed."

He nodded, and walked to her solid wooden door. He stopped, and slowly turned around.

"Thank you" he whispered, and she could see that he meant it.

* * *

The hospital beds were only a few meters apart. The operating theatre was sterile, and smelled strongly of disinfectant.

On one bed, a tousled blonde head could be seen, the chest slowly rising and falling.

The other had three doctors surrounding it.

"Are you ready" one asked.

There was nod, of spiky, black haired head.

And so they began.

* * *

Naruto awoke slowly, aware that he was in the same hospital room as before.

Footsteps alerted him that someone was coming.

"And so the sleeping beauty awakes" came a soft voice, and he was shocked to hear the tenderness in the usually hard voice.

He was shocked to see that only one of his eyes was bandaged, the other just had some sort of patch. He slowly raised his hand, wanting to know why they were different.

But Sasuke's hand stopped his mid way.

"Wait" he said mysteriously. "I want to take you somewhere first"

And with that he grabbed the hand of his hospital bound friend, and began to lead him away.

He led him out of the hospital, and down an almost deserted road. The whole time Naruto was complaining, asking him where he was being taken.

As the rounded a corner, a wondrous smell wafted itself into Naruto's quivering nostrils.

"Ichiraku's?"

"Yup" Sasuke chuckled, surprised that he could recognise the smell so well. He pushed the smaller boy onto a chair in a shady corner.

"Why are we here, what did you want me to wait for?" the questions tumbled out.

Slowly, deliberately, Sasuke lifted his hand up to the bandaged eyes, and gently removed it.

Naruto gasped as fuzzy images made their way through to his brain. He blinked a few times to clear his vision, and noticed that Sasuke also had a patch over an eye.

He gazed at him, shocked, as realisation of what Sasuke had done for him sank in.

And the other boy gazed back fondly. _I'm going to miss those beautiful blue eyes _he thought, as stared at the now onyx orb, so alike the one he had left, after all, it is, no, was his eye.

"But, but why?" came a stuttered question.

"Because, my love, your dreams, are my dreams."

* * *

And so it ends where it began manical laughing

I'm sorry it was so lacking in the citrusy goodness I promised but my muses went on holiday, actually I killed them, they kept demanding coffee, damn them.

Hopefuly one day I'm gonna rewrite this, CITRUS FRUIT FILLED mwahahahahha

Thank you for keeping with me, I'm only sorry it was so short, I'm kinda gonna miss it

xx


End file.
